From the people who do it for a living

Most Canadian small businesses that fail were profitable on paper. The money just arrived later than the bills did. Here is the simplest 13-week cash view that gives you 90 days of warning before a gap opens. And what to do the moment you see one coming.

Owners agonize over a price increase for months, then deliver it like an apology. The increase is almost never the problem. The delivery is. Here is the plain way to tell existing customers, what to expect, and why far fewer leave than you fear.

After a couple of years, many owners stop tracking the small things. And that's exactly where the money leaks. A simple monthly review of a handful of figures routinely surfaces thousands a year hiding in plain sight. Here is the short list worth checking every month.